2019 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier Preview

2019 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier Preview

• Dates: September 9-15, 2019
• Where: White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
• Course: The Old White TPC (34-36—70/7,292 yards)
• Field size: 156
• Purse: $7.5 million ($1,350,000/winner); 500 FedExCup points to the winner
• Defending Champion: Kevin Na (the event was not held during the 2018-19 season)
• Format: 72-hole stroke play

For a photo tour of the Old White TPC, click in the previous link.

Things to Know

• After a year hiatus and the event’s subsequent move to the fall portion of the Regular Season, A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier returns to the PGA TOUR schedule as the season opener for the first time.
• The tournament is the first of a record 11 official events contested in the fall portion of the 2019-20 PGA TOUR Regular Season; the fall includes the return of this week’s event at The Greenbrier and the Houston Open after a season hiatus, new events in the ZOZO Championship and the Bermuda Championship and, for the first time, the Sanderson Farms Championship is a standalone event.
• The 2019-20 PGA TOUR Season marks the 14^th season of the FedExCup and includes the second edition of the Wyndham Rewards Top 10, where the top 10 players in the FedExCup standings at the conclusion of the Regular Season earn a share of $10 million, including $2 million for the Regular Season Champion. In 2018-19, six of the eight fall winners went on to qualify for the TOUR Championship: Marc Leishman (CIMB Classic), Brooks Koepka (THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES), Xander Schauffele (WGC-HSBC Champions), Bryson DeChambeau (Shriners Hospitals for Children Open), Matt Kuchar (Mayakoba Golf Classic) and Charles Howell III (The RSM Classic). Three of those players finished inside the top five of the inaugural Wyndham Rewards Top 10 (Koepka/1, Kuchar/3, Schauffele/4).
• In 2019-20, the TOUR instituted a new cut rule reducing the number of players from low 70 and ties to low 65 and ties.
• Presidents Cup hopefuls have until the week of November 4 to impress Captains Tiger Woods and Ernie Els as four spots remain to complete each Presidents Cup team roster.
• All 21 2019-20 PGA TOUR rookies are in the field; highlights include:
  • Viktor Hovland who earned his card via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals; Hovland had four top-25s in five starts as a professional in 2018-19, including a fourth-place finish at the Wyndham Championship
  • England’s Tom Lewis, who won the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing
  • Scottie Scheffler, who topped both the Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points List and Korn Ferry Tour Finals Points List

A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier and the FedExCup

• All eight winners of A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier have advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs, with Danny Lee (2015), Xander Schauffele (2017) and Kevin Na (2018) making it all the way to the season-ending TOUR Championship
• With his third-place finish in the 2017 FedExCup, Xander Schauffele posted the best finish in the standings by A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier champion (in the year that he won): Stuart Appleby (52), Scott Stallings (57), Ted Potter Jr. (93), Jonas Blixt (52), Angel Cabrera (50), Danny Lee (9), Schauffele (3), Kevin Na (28)
• Four players who advanced to the 2019 TOUR Championship are in this week’s field, led by Bryson DeChambeau (12), Jason Kokrak (14), Sungae Im (19) and Marc Leishman (24)

A look back at Kevin Na’s win at the 2018 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier

• With his five-stroke victory over Kelly Kraft in 2018, Kevin Na notched the largest margin of victory at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier, topping two-stroke wins by Jonas Blixt (2013) and Angel Cabrera (2014)
•  The win was his second of three on TOUR (2011 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, 2018 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier, 2019 Charles Schwab Challenge) and came at the age of 34 years, 9 months, 23 days in his 370^th start
• Began final round trailing by one at 13-under 197; following five birdies on his first nine holes (Nos. 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9), made the turn with a four-stroke lead at 18-under par; made additional birdies at Nos. 10 and 16 for a 6-under 64
• Became the sixth international winner of the event, joining Stuart Appleby (2010), Jonas Blixt (2013), Angel Cabrera (2014), Danny Lee (2015) and Xander Schauffele (2017)

A glance at the field

• Four of the eight past winners: Scott Stallings (2011), Ted Potter Jr. (2012), Danny Lee (2015), Kevin Na (2018)
• Four players who advanced to the 2019 TOUR Championship: Bryson DeChambeau (12), Jason Kokrak (14), Sungjae Im (19), Marc Leishman (24)
• Seven of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking: Bryson DeChambeau (10), Marc Leishman (24), Bubba Watson (25), Kevin Na (34), Keegan Bradley (39), Cameron Smith (45), Byeong Hun An (48)
• Six major winners: Keegan Bradley, John Daly, Jason Dufner, Zach Johnson, Jimmy Walker and Bubba Watson

Bubba Watson

• Greenbrier resident Bubba Watson returns for the sixth time, as he seeks his 13^th win on the PGA TOUR and first since the 2018 Travelers Championship
• Makes his sixth start at The Greenbrier (T13-2018, T70-2017, T13-2015, T16-2014, T30-2013)
• Has 17 (out of 20) rounds in the 60s at The Old White TPC
• One of nine players to advance to the FedExCup Playoffs each season since the inception of the FedExCup, joining Charley Hoffman, Charles Howell III, Matt Kuchar, Phil Mickelson, Ryan Moore, Justin Rose, Adam Scott and Brandt Snedeker

Additional Player Notes

• Bryson DeChambeau returns to A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier for the second time (T14/2017); he comes off a 12^th-place finish in the 2019 FedExCup
• Sungjae Im will make his first start at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier; In his rookie season, he made the cut in 26 of 35 starts last season, with seven top-10 finishes; finished the season No. 19 in the FedExCup standings
• Zach Johnson will make his first start at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier; 2018-19 marked the first season on TOUR he finished outside the top 150 in the FedExCup standings (154)
• Marc Leishman finished 24^th in the 2019 FedExCup, having made his third consecutive trip to the TOUR Championship; makes his sixth start at The Greenbrier, with a T16 in 2010 his best finish
• Stuart Appleby (not in the field due to injury) closed the inaugural A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in 2010 with a 59 to record the last of his nine PGA TOUR victories. Here’s the list of sub-60 scores on the PGA TOUR:

Miscellaneous Notes

• Number of players with all four rounds in the 60s at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier: 2010 (46), 2011 (0), 2012 (14), 2013 (7), 2014 (8), 2015 (22), 2017 (13), 2018 (8)
• Scoring average comparison: 2010 (68.536), 2011 (70.593), 2012 (69.781), 2013 (69.868), 2014 (70.101), 2015 (69.179), 2017 (69.861), 2018 (69.471)
• Course record: 59, Stuart Appleby (final round, 2010)
• Best opening-round score: 61 – Sebastián Muñoz/2017, Webb Simpson/2018
• Best 36 holes: 126 (Jeff Overton, 2010)
• Best 54 holes: 192 (Jeff Overton, 2010)
• Tournament 72-hole record: 258 (Stuart Appleby, 2010)
• Out of the 32 rounds played by the previous eight champions of A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier, the only winner with a round in the 70s is Scott Stallings in round one (70) in 2011
• Largest margin of victory: 5 strokes (Kevin Na/2018)
• Best come-from-behind win in final round: 7 strokes (Stuart Appleby/2010)

 Additional Notes The Old White TPC

• The Greenbrier’s original of three courses, the re-named The Old White TPC, will host A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier for the ninth time since 2010. Originally designed by Charles Blair MacDonald in 1914, The Old White TPC has been restored to its original design by Lester George since the inaugural tournament in 2010. In addition to the restoration, the course now measures 7,286 yards, an increase of 255 yards from 2010.
• After the flood of 2016, the golf course was closed and completely restored by noted architect Keith Foster. While the routing plan and hole concepts were retained, every green complex was rebuilt. New grasses were introduced to the greens, fairways and bunkers faces, while trees were selectively thinned to reintroduce unbelievable views and sight lines not seen for decades.
• Lee Trevino, Tom Watson and Sam Snead have each served as The Greenbrier’s Golf Professional Emeritus
• The adjacent Greenbrier Course, built in 1924, renovated by Jack Nicklaus in 1977 and currently being reworked by Phil Mickelson, has hosted several professional golf events over the years, including the 1979 Ryder Cup (the first time players from continental Europe competed in the event, rather than just Great Britain & Ireland; the U.S. won) and the 1994 Solheim Cup (U.S. won). From 1985-87, The Greenbrier hosted a PGA TOUR Champions event, the Greenbrier American Express Championship, won by Don January (1985, ‘86) and Bruce Crampton (‘87).

The Greenbrier Resort

• The Greenbrier is an award-winning resort located in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia
• As a National Historic Landmark, The Greenbrier’s classic architecture, interior design, scenic beauty and excellent amenities have hosted distinguished guests from around the world since 1778
• The Greenbrier offers 721 rooms, guest/estate houses and more than 50 recreational activities, including three golf courses, indoor and outdoor tennis courts and a 40,000-square-foot spa.